Yellows held at home

WARRINGTON Town had to settle for a point against Basford United in front of a bumper crowd.

The excellent Jack Mackreth had given them a first half lead, but it was cancelled out after the break on debut by Stefan Galinski and the Yellows just couldn’t break their opponents down late on and it ended 1-1.

It’s now just one win in five for Paul Carden’s men, who will be desperate to pick up some wins in the coming weeks ahead of the festive period.

Free-scoring Basford came to Cantilever Park to face the league’s sternest defence having lost five of their eight away games so far this season, a stark contrast to their home form which has seen eight wins from nine, a selection of numbers that even Mecca Bingo UK would enjoy.

The Yellows would have the first half chance of the match, on eight minutes, Jack Mackreth’s free-kick nodded down in to the danger area and Adam Hughes steered it goalwards, with Kieran Preston getting down well to save.

A bobbling cross by Hughes would create a chance for Josh Amis soon afterwards, the big frontman almost catching the Basford defence unawares at the front post, again Preston down well to keep it out.

Basford’s first sighting of goal came on the quarter of an hour mark when a cross fell for Jack Thomas at the back post, his first time effort on the half volley scuffed wide.

The Yellows were enjoying more of the forward play and Mackreth was creating problems down the right, getting at his man Cieron Keane and getting a dangerous ball across the face of goal that was ultimately neither a shot or a cross and Preston was happy to wave it behind.

But the visitors should have taken the lead on 24 minutes, a smart short corner routine resulted in James Reid’s delivery causing havoc in the goalmouth, and somehow the ensuing scramble saw the ball stay out of the goal, before a Ben Garrity block resulted in a clearance.

A minute later the deadlock would be broken, but at the other end. Mitch Duggan clipped a ball down the right for Mackreth, and Preston came charging out of his box, was beaten to it by the winger who flicked it round him and then rolled the ball in to the empty net.

The Yellows should have had a penalty on the half hour mark, a fairly innocuous ball over the top by Robbie Evans was handled by Liam Bateman just inside the box, but referee Dale Baines pointed to his shoulder.

Basford’s goalscoring threat looked to have been dealt a hammer blow when the league’s joint top scorer Nat Watson was forced off injured before the break, but they would regroup at half time and took the game to Warrington in the second half.

Within 10 minutes they were level, Reid’s inswinging corner headed in by the towering Stefan Galinski at the back post.

They enjoyed a good spell after the goal but it wasn’t until 10 minutes from time that they would have another clear opening, Coury Grantham getting in behind to set up fellow substitute Liam Hearn who was hounded out of it by the defence.

The Yellows then started to turn the screw at the other end as time ran out, and they hit the bar twice off the same corner on 84 minutes. Mackreth’s delivery was headed full on against the bar by Hughes, and the rebound was then punched on to his own bar by ‘keeper Preston before it was scrambled behind for another corner.

Mackreth would then pickpocket a defender looking to see the ball out for a goal kick and blaze right across the face of goal, before a combination of Preston and a defender somehow kept out Hughes’ effort from point blank range.

A short corner between Mackreth and Jake Kirby resulted in the former shooting from outside the box, Preston gathering it in at the second attempt as the Yellows tried desperately to find the winner.

Their efforts were in vain, and they must now look ahead to next Saturday’s league clash with Hyde United.